Apple Sharp and Diamond Ripe
by slowscribe
Summary: A collection of oneshots for Applejack and Rarity. Romantic hints. From S1E17: Applejack looks in on Rarity while she's working all night to finish her order. Sorry, had to edit to fix a few things.
1. Season 1 Episode 17 Stare Master

I love these two girls together so much I just keep getting little scenes in my head for them. So basically this is just going to be a series of oneshots for Rarity and Applejack. The title is a little silly. Usually you'd say apple-ripe or diamond-sharp, but I wanted to show the girls getting a little muddled when they're around each other. Oh, and I really need more practice to get Applejack's accent right, I think.

I really wanted to write a scene for "Stare Master" (Season 1: Episode 17) while Rarity is working all night to complete her order and Applejack brings her something to make sure she remembers to eat. It ended up turning into an excuse to practice writing each of them a little, so I hope it's not too rambly! Anyway, Read on!

**RARITY'S POINT OF VIEW**

Rarity couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief when the girls were gone. At least she could trust they would be well looked after, and as under control as any three headstrong fillies could possibly be, in Fluttershy's care. She normally wouldn't have punished Sweetie Bell's little stunt with the gold silk with anything more harsh than a lecture on how to neatly pattern out fabric without waste, but this really was a matter of deadlines. She didn't have any more time to lose on interruptions!

Now that she finally had time to concentrate, Rarity set to work on crafting the replacement fabric she would need to finish the job. Able to work uninterrupted, the tricky pattern was merely demanding.

Of course, as soon as she let herself believe she really would be able to work uninterrupted, somepony had to come knock on her door. Rarity cringed. She was _sure_ she had put up the closed sign! What could it be now?

"Rare," Applejack's strident voice called, "I know you've got yourself cooped up in there."

Rarity allowed herself a long-suffering sigh. She enjoyed having her more down-to-earth friend come to call, but this really wasn't the time.

Using a touch of magic from her horn, she pulled the door open for Applejack without crossing the room. She didn't even pause to look up as she adjusted her new bolt of gold silk over one of the forms to reassure herself that the light would bring out the glinting threads just right.

"Hey there. I knew you'd still be workin.' Thought I'd bring you a little snack," Applejack said, deliberately wiping her hooves before she stepped inside. Even before Rarity had to scold her about it, which was a small relief.

She used her teeth to deftly pick a small bundle wrapped in a checkered handkerchief out of one of the beat-up saddlebags she wore. She must be on her way back from selling apples in the market, nearly all of her stock depleted. Rarity could smell the faint tang of the few remaining apples, as well as something strangely sweet.

"I'm sorry, Applejack, the girls are with Fluttershy for their sleepover," Rarity tried to explain. Honestly, after all of the interruptions today, now she felt bad for forgetting to let Applejack know what was going on. She didn't have time to be feeling guilty.

"Ah know," Applejack's voice was slightly muffled as she spoke around the bundle clenched in her teeth, before setting it on Rarity's drafting table and giving one deft tug so that the bundle unfolded to reveal a perfectly-round apple tart. "This is for _you_."

"Oh, Applejack, you didn't have to go to such trouble for me," Rarity demurred.

The tart had apple slices arranged like an opening flower, glistening with thick sugary apple-syrup as if it had been glazed, caramelized sugar standing out like tiny gems. It was a surprise. She was well aware of Applejack's cooking skill (especially when the recipe called for her specialty of fresh apples), but she hadn't realized her utterly practical friend had such a flair for beauty, especially when it came to something as temporary as food.

Really, she couldn't let any sort of art go unappreciated.

"Knew you'd be makin' an all-nighter of it, and I couldn' just let you go hungry."

"Well, I am pushing it down to the wire on this job," Rarity admitted. Okay, maybe she got caught up in her work sometimes, but it wasn't like she was going to go hungry in one little night just because she had other things to think about.

Of course she ate the tart, with delicate little bites to keep the flaky pastry from getting everywhere. It would be a crime to let such culinary effort go to waste, after all. Besides, it was the only way to stop Applejack's fussing over her.

**APPLEJACK'S POINT OF VIEW**

Applejack had shrugged off her saddlebags hours ago. She had somehow coaxed Rarity to take ten minutes and share the half-dozen apples she had left as a belated dinner (and even then she'd had to corral Rarity's dress-making figures into a more convenient formation to make up for the pause), before stepping back to let her friend work.

For the early part of the evening, Applejack's only contribution was to skillfully lasso one thing or another that Rarity was searching for, aiming to land it right in front of the rushing unicorn. Each time she was thanked with a flustered, 'Thank you, but I _wish_ you wouldn't do that.' Rarity usually didn't protest so much, even to Applejack's rough brand of help. Maybe something other than the tight deadline had set her on edge.

It was possible that by now Rarity had completely forgotten she was there. Applejack had certainly bedded down in less comfortable places than the corner of Rarity's workshop, so she was perfectly happy to keep right where she was for a little while. There wasn't any harm in staying a few hours more while Rarity worked.

That was how just before dawn Applejack woke, and stretched with a yawn, and found Rarity still fussing over the last tiny details of her latest order.

Applejack took a minute to just watch her dear friend at work. The magically ever-bright light of Rarity's workshop revealed a tired sag to her eyes, and the slightest droop in perfectly styled mane and tail, but other than that she showed no sign of having worked through the night. Not a single, shining hair was out of place. Applejack had never quite understood this. When one was tired, really deeply bone-tired from honest work, it was perfectly okay to show it, but Rarity was generally far too stubborn.

And Rarity did work herself hard. Applejack understood that clear as anything. For all the bluster and fussing and sudden whims, Rarity was devoted to her craft and would push herself toward whatever seemingly-impossible goal she set.

Even if her craft was very different from the straightforward and honest work of farming, Applejack could at least recognize the drive that led to Rarity handling her own shop all by herself while slowly clawing out her own kind of recognition. It was really hard to express, with their strengths being so different, but Applejack did respect and even admire Rarity's efforts.

Standing to stretch, Applejack suddenly got her friend's attention.

"You're awake! Oh, dear, Applejack, I've no time left to fix it, but-" and then Rarity started going on about the drape or the form or something that apparently differentiated the cape she was fussing over from the rest of the order.

Applejack couldn't see any difference. Every piece was identical. Blindingly beautiful (literally, when the golden lining caught the light just so) and impractical and very much Rarity's work. Sometimes she thought Rarity wasn't truly happy unless she has something to devolve into a little fusspot about.

"Yeah, they're all pretty as pie," Applejack answered, shaking out her mane.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you."

"Nope!" Applejack admitted easily. "But you're more critical of your work than anypony, so if you're halfway happy with it I can't see nopony else complaining."

Rarity only sighed at her. Her horn glowed with a simple spell to gather and fold the entire order into one neat pile for delivery. Almost as quickly as Applejack could collect and shrug her way into her empty saddlebags, Rarity had everything piled neatly inside her shop's small wagon, with a cover tucked tightly over the order to protect everything from dust on the road.

"Here," Applejack suddenly offered. "Lemme help."

She took the narrow, jewel-studded breastcollar attached to Rarity's little wagon (such a flimsy-looking thing would never do for heavy hauling), and tossed it over her head. It only took a few gentle nudges to settle it comfortably into place around Rarity's shoulders and tug the uncomplicated straps secure.

"Thank you, Applejack. I am never taking an order so close to the deadline again," Rarity sighed.

"Until the next time, right?" Applejack teased.

"Hmph," Rarity's little pout lacked any real heat.

They stood for a quiet moment, cheek-to-cheek. Applejack leaned in for one last adjustment on the breastcollar, and maybe for just a second she was clumsy as she had been as a silly young filly, maybe for an instant her lips brushed Rarity's shoulder. She felt Rarity give a startled little shudder under her skin.

"I really should get going. I have to get these delivered as quickly as I can."

"'S gettin light and I need to get home and do my chores," Applejack agreed all in a rush, breaking away.

Any awkwardness of that moment could be put down to lack of sleep. It always was something like that, quickly forgotten. Even when Rarity broke into a prim trot Applejack knew it was just that her friend wanted this errand done quickly, not anything like wanted to be out from under her concerned hovering.

"Work up a good appetite and you can come by Sweet Apple Acres for lunch, y'hear?" Applejack called after her.

Rarity's shining laugh and her protest that honestly, Applejack, ladies are too dainty to work up the kind of appetite that would match the spread offered at the Apple family farm, didn't mean she wouldn't come.

Applejack watched her down the main road and out of sight before turning to gallop back home. She had a lot of work to do, and the first light of dawn peeking up over the horizon meant she had that much less time to do it in. Right now none of that mattered. Her heart felt so light she could breeze through her chores without even thinking about them.

Rarity really was hardworking, strong in her own way, but sometimes she did have that bad, artist-y habit of getting caught up in what she was doing and forgetting to take proper care of herself (sure she would pose and primp and make a big show of being aloof to difficulty, but Applejack was more concerned with if she remembered important things like getting a good meal during her all-nighters). Someone had to care for her.

And, Applejack thought to herself, why shouldn't she care for Rarity?


	2. Season 1 Episode 14 Suited for Success

This idea has been on my mind for months but I wasn't sure how to write it. This is for "Suited for Success" (Season 1: Episode 14) I just wanted to write Rarity braiding Applejack's hair before the show, but then it turned into more of a study on Rarity, I think. Either way, I hope you will enjoy. Read on!

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><p>It wasn't exactly chaos backstage at the second, impromptu fashion show. But it was close.<p>

"Oh dear, oh dear. Wait, miss butterfly. If it's stage fright we can just-"

"Pinky, stop eating all the tarts. The party is for after the show!"

"Don't you think our entrance would be cooler with _real_ lightning bolts?"

While Fluttershy rushed around comforting her animal friends, and Applejack tried to corral Pinky Pie, Rainbow Dash and Twilight were busy arguing about the special effects. If they had been like this before the first show, Rarity had been too mortified to notice.

"If we bring in real storm clouds for the show they could start raining everywhere," Twilight protested. "That's why we're doing the effects with magic!"

"Ooo! I think you should have it rain! You could make it rain candy, couldn't you?" Distracted by this new idea, Pinky left the food alone and bounded over to pester Twilight. With a sigh of relief, Applejack stepped back out of the fray.

Right now Applejack was probably the only one that she didn't need to worry about making a mess, but Rarity couldn't help herself. She stepped up to her friend, smiling at her handiwork. Applejack looked best in sensible, earthy colors, just as she had predicted.

Applejack shifted nervously under her appraising gaze. "What is it? Do I have it on lopsided or something?"

"You look perfect," Rarity reassured her. "Oh, just let me do up your mane to match and you'll look even more perfect!"

"You're not going to curl it, are you?"

"Of course not." Rarity used her magic to grab a pair of hairbrushes and begin brushing Applejack's mane and tail simultaneously. Tangles fell out of her hair with almost no effort. "But it's so thick and silky, it would look lovely in a braid."

"Braids are fine if that's what you want," Applejack allowed.

Rarity focused on braiding Applejack's tail first. She used her magic to make sure she didn't allow one single hair out of place. Applejack craned her neck back to watch. For some reason she still didn't seem to be her usual confident self, practically balanced on her hoof-tips with nervousness.

"Don't be so nervous. No one is going to laugh at any of us this time. When you're the most beautiful filly in the room, you're the one who gets to laugh."

"I wasn't worried about that. I just don't want to mess up your dress after you went to so much trouble making it." Applejack seemed reluctant to even put her full weight on her forelegs in the customized boots.

"Don't worry about that," Rarity laughed, moving up to focus on braiding Applejack's mane. "I designed those clothes to be sturdy! They're for you, after all."

She had wanted all of her friends' personalities to show in their dresses. Pinky Pie's fun-loving friendliness, Rainbow's brash liveliness, Fluttershy's quiet elegance, Twilight's mix of innocence and maturity... of course Applejack's clothes would have to keep up with her.

That down-to-earth strength was Applejack's best feature. If only Rarity could keep her from getting dirty all the time, maybe drag her along for a pony-pedi now and then... but at the same time, when Applejack relaxed and smiled at her, Rarity wasn't sure exactly what she would really want to change if she got the chance.

Rarity indulged in one last fussy little nuzzle to be sure Applejack's braided mane hung just right. "There. I don't think you could be any more perfect."

"I'm going to remind you of that next time you try to give me a make over."

To her surprise, Applejack moved to nuzzle her mane in return, even though it didn't need adjusting. At least, she didn't think it had needed adjusting. Had she let herself get messy right before the show?

"Don't worry," Applejack reassured, before she could even start worrying properly. "If they can't laugh at us, they definitely can't laugh at you."

"Rarity," Twilight butted in, "What should I do? Pinky Pie wants it to rain candy and I-"

"That's fine as long as it matches her dress," Rarity answered automatically. She still had her nose in Applejack's mane. While she would have liked to step back and admire her handiwork, she couldn't seem to leave the comforting scent of apples and brown sugar. Applejack had been baking treats for the party all morning, as determined as Rarity was that everything would come out right this time.

"You do know what you just agreed to, sugar cube?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, of course."

"Rarity, is everything all right?" Fluttershy wanted to know. Her butterflies, finally calmed, had landed on the flowers strung through her mane.

"I think she's losing it," Rainbow Dash shared in a stage whisper.

Rarity hadn't realized how long she'd been standing there with her face tucked against Applejack's mane. She sidestepped, trying to retain her all-important dignity.

"I think Rarity needs some candy to cheer her up before the show," Pinky Pie decided.

"No, I'm fine. Everything is wonderful."

Rarity was trying to laugh it off when Applejack bumped shoulders with her, giving her a conspiratorial smile. "We'll go first and clear the way for you. They won't know what hit 'em."

Rarity wasn't worried about the fashion show. She had confidence in her designs and even more confidence that her friends would pull them off flawlessly. She couldn't have said why that one little nudge made her go weak in the knees for a moment.

She had designed Applejack's dress to be sturdy, like her friend. Just looking at the cut of their dresses one could see how different they were. Her own was a mass of gold-trimmed ruffles that suited her sensibilities as a high-class fashionista. So why was it that, for just a moment after the chaos had calmed, she found herself longing for something sturdy to lean on?


End file.
